Pillar pad system and method

ABSTRACT

A protective garment is disclosed. The protective garment includes a fingerless glove, a pocket, and a pad. The protective garment is useful for reducing pain from contacting objects after carpal tunnel surgery. The pocket of the fingerless glove covers from the middle of the palm of the hand to the wrist. A pad is inserted into the pocket which is useful for alleviating contact force against the palm of the hand of the user.

CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONs

The present application is related to and claims priority to U.S. patent application Ser. No. 15/490,455, filed on Apr. 18, 2017, pending, which is related to and claims priority to U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 62/376,838 filed Aug. 18, 2016, the complete disclosures of which are incorporated into this document by this reference.

BACKGROUND

The following includes information that may be useful in understanding the present disclosure. It is not an admission that any of the information provided herein is prior art nor material to the presently described or claimed inventions, nor that any publication or document that is specifically or implicitly referenced is prior art.

DESCRIPTION OF RELATED ART

Carpal tunnel can be an extremely painful condition for some people. Those with severe cases may opt for having surgery. Pain and tenderness in the wrist and hand area will occur after surgery, and people may need to wear a brace or protective covering for an extended period of time. These braces are often extremely uncomfortable and difficult to apply, especially only using one hand. It can take a considerable amount of time for a person's hand to heal if he/she accidentally injures it after surgery.

Carpal tunnel surgery divides the transverse carpal ligament. This surgery is necessary for those that suffer from carpal tunnel syndrome and exhibit constant pain, numbness, muscle weakness, and atrophy in the muscle at the base of the thumb. Carpal tunnel syndrome can be caused by repetitive wrist work such as typing, working with vibrating tools such as a jackhammer, and work that requires a strong grip.

The two major types of surgery are open carpal tunnel release and endoscopic carpal tunnel release. Open surgery involves an incision on the palm about an inch or two in length. Through this incision, the skin and subcutaneous tissue is divided, followed by the palmar fascia, and ultimately the transverse carpal ligament. The time frame for recovery after carpal tunnel surgery generally lasts for one year. During recovery, splints are not recommended; however, pain can continue if the surgery site is not protected in some way.

U.S. Pat. No. 4,617,684 to Paul G. Green et al. relates to a protective palm pad. The described protective palm pad includes a hand mounted player's protective palm pad that has a palm configured two-piece pad and two fastening loops secured to the pad, one small loop and one much larger. The one small loop encircles the base of the user's forefinger; the much larger loop extends about the back of the user's hand. These two loops hold the player's protective palm pad constantly and securely in the desired position on the user's palm, remote from the user's thumb. In other embodiments, the pad can be made larger or smaller; the configuration can be made different to provide more palm or finger protection; additional finger loops and/or hand loops may be secured to the pad; and the protective palm pad can be made to be worn on either hand.

U.S. Pat. No. 6,505,349 to Logan et al. relates to a therapeutic glove system for treating an injured hand and wrist of a user. The therapeutic glove system includes a glove for positioning on a hand of a user. At least one pocket is mounted on the glove. The pocket includes an opening extending into an interior of the pocket. At least one pack is provided for removably inserting in the opening in the pocket. The pack includes a temperature-retentive material for regulating a temperature of a portion of a user's hand in the glove positioned adjacent to the pocket. This device anticipates removing a pack, cooling, or heating the pack, and returning the pack to the pocket for therapeutic temperature treatment.

U.S. Pre-grant Patent Application Publication No. US2015/0032036 by Brown relates to an electronic vibrating compression glove which simultaneously provides compression and vibration therapy to arthritic hands.

BRIEF SUMMARY

In view of the foregoing disadvantages inherent in the known wrist brace art, the present disclosure provides a novel pillar pad system. The general purpose of the present disclosure, which will be described subsequently in greater detail, is to provide a pillar pad system.

Carpal tunnel surgery is a surgery in which the transverse carpal ligament is divided. It is a treatment for carpal tunnel syndrome and recommended when there is static (constant, not just intermittent) numbness, muscle weakness, or atrophy, and when night-splinting no longer controls intermittent symptoms of pain in the carpal tunnel. Gloves are often worn post-surgery to assist in healing.

A protective garment is disclosed.

In some embodiments, the invention is a protective garment comprising a fingerless glove having a pad pocket for an interchangeable pad for a palm of the glove joined only to the glove's palm-side with the pad disposed inside the pocket wherein the structure of the pad protects the palm.

When some versions, the glove comprises a wrist in the sleeve for the wrist, either of which can comprise a compression material. The glove can be right-or left-handed and is configured to allow thumb and finger movement. In some versions, the sleeve is configured to decrease pressure within the carpal tunnel.

The pad pocket is sometimes openable and closeable and has a fastener to secure it closed. In various embodiments, the fastener is selected from hook-and-loop fasteners, clips, magnetic fasteners, clasps, strings, zippers, buttons, snaps, buckles, ties, or bands. In other versions, the device has stitches extending across and closing an opening of the pocket. The pocket can sit between a middle of the palm and

in various embodiments, the pad is configured to buffer palm contact force and cushion the palm or wrist. The pad comprises any one or any combination of gel, foam, fabric, feathers, polyester, cotton, or plastics.

Some embodiments, the device is packaged as a kit in which case it comprises several pads comprising various materials for installation into the pocket on the glove.

Methods of using the device are also disclosed in this document for instance, a method comprising the steps of providing a post-hand-or-wrist-surgery region; inserting the region into a glove having a pad pocket; adjusting a flap on the glove to fit the region; supplying a pad; and positioning the pad in the pocket over the region. Some additional steps include supplying the pad at ambient temperature.

For purposes of summarizing the invention, certain aspects, advantages, and novel features have been described herein. It is to be understood that not necessarily all such advantages may be achieved in accordance with any one particular embodiment. Thus, the invention may be embodied or carried out in a manner that achieves or optimizes one advantage or group of advantages as taught herein without necessarily achieving other advantages as may be taught or suggested herein. The features which are believed to be novel are particularly pointed out and distinctly claimed in the concluding portion of the specification. These and other features, aspects, and advantages of the present invention will become better understood with reference to the following drawings and detailed description.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The figures which accompany the written portion of this specification illustrate embodiments and methods of use for the present disclosure, a pillar pad system, constructed and operative according to the teachings of the present disclosure.

FIG. 1A is a palm-side view of the protective garment during an ‘in-use’ condition, according to an embodiment of the disclosure.

FIG. 1B is a top-side view of the protective garment during an ‘in-use’ condition, according to an embodiment of the disclosure.

FIG. 2 is a perspective view of the protective garment of FIG. 1 comprising a fingerless glove, according to an embodiment of the present disclosure.

FIG. 3 is a perspective view of the protective garment of FIG. 1 showing a pad insertable into a pocket of the fingerless glove, according to an embodiment of the present disclosure.

FIG. 4 is another perspective view of the protective garment of FIG. 1 showing the fingerless glove comprising a sleeve, according to an embodiment of the present disclosure.

FIG. 5 is a flow diagram illustrating a method of use for wearing the protective garment, according to an embodiment of the present disclosure.

The various embodiments of the present invention will hereinafter be described in conjunction with the appended drawings, wherein like designations denote like elements.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

As discussed above, embodiments of the present disclosure relate to a wrist brace and more particularly to a pillar pad system as used to improve the pain from contacting objects after carpal tunnel surgery.

Generally, after carpal tunnel surgery, pillar pain may become problematic because of the surfaces that the palm of the hand contact on a daily basis, such as closing a car door or exiting a bathtub. The protective garment of the present disclosure provides a uniquely designed glove capable of supporting the hand and wrist after carpal tunnel surgery. Advantageously, the protective garment includes an insertable palm pad made of shock absorbent material to prevent contact from external objects and hard surfaces. This may provide a way to prevent additional injury after carpal tunnel, or wrist surgery, and may eliminate the need to wear uncomfortable post-surgery braces with hard plastic or metal inserts. The glove may be fabricated in assorted sizes, be made for left hands and right hands, and fit both men, women, elderly, and children.

Referring now more specifically to the drawings FIGS. 1-4 show various views of a protective garment 100. FIGS. 1A-1B show a protective garment during an ‘in-use’ condition 150, according to an embodiment of the present disclosure. Here, the protective garment 100 may be used to reduce pillar pain following carpal tunnel surgery.

As illustrated, the protective garment 100 may include a fingerless glove 110, a pad pocket 112 fixedly joined to a palm-side of the fingerless glove 110, and an interchangeable pad 114 configured to fit inside the pocket 112 so that the pad 114 buffers a post-operative palm 15 of a user 140 against blows or strikes. In these or other embodiments, pad 114 buffers a post-operative palm 15 of a user 140 against contact that exacerbates pillar pain or other pain resulting from hand or wrist surgery, such as surgery to alleviate carpal tunnel syndrome. Specifically, the pad 114 may be deformable and useful for preventing hand contact against external objects and hard surfaces, thereby controlling pillar pain after carpal tunnel surgery.

For purposes of this disclosure, “exacerbates” means makes noticeably worse. For purposes of this disclosure, “buffers” or “protects” means noticeably reducing how much pain a blow or contact with the post-operative palm 15 causes user 140. For purposes of this disclosure, “a wrist sleeve” is a tube of material configured to receive the wrist of a user 140 such as commonly seen in therapeutic gloves.

In one embodiment, the fingerless glove 110 may integrally include a sleeve 116 which may envelope a wrist 35 of the user 140. The fingerless glove 110 and sleeve 116 may be constructed from compression material for preventing unwanted movement of the fingerless glove 110 and the sleeve 116 while the protective garment 100 is worn. Further, the sleeve 116 may be configured to inhibit movement of the wrist 35 of the user 140 thereby decreasing pressure within the carpal tunnel and alleviating strain of the carpal tunnel after surgery.

FIG. 2 shows the protective garment 100 of FIG. 1, according to an embodiment of the present disclosure. As above, the protective garment 100 may include a fingerless glove 110, a pocket 112 fixedly joined to a palm-side of the fingerless glove 110, and a pad 114 configured to fit inside the pocket 112. In one embodiment, the pocket 112 of the fingerless glove 110 may be openable and closeable via hook-and-loop fasteners so that pad(s) 114 of differing materials may be used. In other embodiments, the pocket 112 may be openable and closeable via snap fasteners, clips, a zipper, mating magnetic members, clasps, draw strings or ties, and the like.

In a preferred embodiment, the pocket 112 may comprise a material that is deformable and is configured to absorb shock from an impact against a surface. The pocket 112 is further configured for comfort to the user 140. Materials may include, but are not limited to, gel, foam, fabric, feathers, polyester, cotton, plastics, or the like. In some embodiments, the material is permanently mounted into pocket 112 and pocket 112 is sewn shut. In some embodiments, the protective garment 100 is provided as a kit with a single glove and pads 114 of different material. After desired pad 114 material is chosen, it can be inserted into pocket 112 and pocket 112 can be closed to secure pad 114 using the closure methods discussed above. In some embodiments, once pad 114 is chosen and mounted in pocket 112, the opening in the pocket 112 is sewn shut.

FIG. 3 is a perspective view of the protective garment 100 of FIG. 1, according to an embodiment of the present disclosure. The hand 25 of the user 140 may be inserted through the sleeve 116 and fingerless glove 110 to allow the fingers and thumb to move. The pocket may be positioned between a middle of the palm 15 and the wrist 35 of the user 140.

FIG. 4 is a perspective view of the protective garment 100 of FIG. 1, according to an embodiment of the present disclosure. Once the pad 114 has been positioned within the pocket 112, the protective garment 100 may buffer contact force against the palm 15 of the hand 25 of the user 140.

As shown, the fingerless glove 110 may comprise a flap. The flap may be attached to the pocket 112. The flap may be useful for adjusting the pocket 112 comprising the pad 114 such that the pad 114 is optimally and comfortably positioned about the palm 15 of the hand 25 of the user 140. The flap may be sewn to the pocket 112 or may be attached to the pocket 112 by other means.

The fingerless glove 110 may be constructed in varied sizes to accommodate men, women, children, and elderly users. Further, the fingerless glove 110 may be constructed to fit the left hand or the right hand of the user 140. In some embodiments, the fingerless glove 110 may comprise indicia (such as a logo, instructions, or other phrases or verbiage) based on user preference.

FIG. 5 is a flow diagram 550 illustrating a method of use 500 for wearing the protective garment 100, according to an embodiment of the present disclosure. In particular, the method 500 for wearing the protective garment 100 may include one or more components or features of the protective garment 100 as described above. As illustrated, the method 500 for wearing the protective garment 100 may include the steps of step one 501, pulling a fingerless glove 110 with an integral sleeve 116 onto a hand 25 and wrist 35 of a user 140; step two 502, adjusting a flap on the fingerless glove 110 to fit the user 140; and step three 503, positioning a pad 114 of the fingerless glove 110 about a palm 15 of the user 140.

It should also be noted that the steps described in the method of use can be carried out in many different orders according to user preference. The use of “step of” should not be interpreted as “step for”, in the claims herein and is not intended to invoke the provisions of 35 U.S.C. § 112(f). It should also be noted that, under appropriate circumstances, considering such issues as design preference, user preferences, marketing preferences, cost, structural requirements, available materials, technological advances, etc., other methods for wearing the protective garment (e.g., different step orders within above-mentioned list, elimination or addition of certain steps, including or excluding certain maintenance steps, etc.), are taught herein.

The embodiments described herein are exemplary and numerous modifications, variations and rearrangements can be readily envisioned to achieve substantially equivalent results, all of which are intended to be embraced within the spirit and scope. Further, the purpose of the foregoing abstract is to enable the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office and the public generally, and especially the scientist, engineers and practitioners in the art who are not familiar with patent or legal terms or phraseology, to determine quickly from a cursory inspection the nature and essence of the technical disclosure of the application. 

What is claimed is:
 1. A protective garment comprising a fingerless glove having a pad pocket for an interchangeable pad for a palm of the glove joined only to the glove's palm side with the pad disposed inside the pocket wherein the structure of the pad protects the palm.
 2. The protective garment of claim 1 wherein the glove comprises a wrist sleeve.
 3. The protective garment of claim 2 wherein the pad pocket is openable and closeable.
 4. The protective garment of claim 3 wherein the pocket comprises a fastener.
 5. The protective garment of claim 4 wherein the fastener is selected from hook-and-loop fasteners, clips, magnetic fasteners, clasps, strings, zippers, buttons, snaps, buckles, ties, or bands.
 6. The protective garment of claim 4 further comprising stitches extending across and closing a pocket opening.
 7. The protective garment of claim 6 wherein the glove or the sleeve comprise compression material.
 8. The protective garment of claim 7 wherein the pocket sits between a middle of the palm and wrist.
 9. The protective garment of claim 8 wherein the glove is configured to allow thumb and finger movement.
 10. The protective garment of claim 9 wherein the glove is right-handed.
 11. The protective garment of claim 9 wherein the glove is left-handed.
 12. The protective garment of claim 9 wherein the pad is configured to buffer palm contact force.
 13. The protective garment of claim 12 wherein the pad cushions the palm or wrist.
 14. The protective garment of claim 13 wherein the pad comprises gel, foam, fabric, feathers, polyester, cotton, or plastics.
 15. The protective garment of claim 9 wherein the sleeve is configured to decrease pressure within the carpal tunnel.
 16. A protective garment comprising a fingerless glove having: a wrist sleeve; and an openable and closable pad pocket for an interchangeable pad for a palm joined only to the glove's palm-side between a middle of the palm and wrist, wherein the pad is disposed inside the pocket, the pocket comprises a fastener selected from hook-and-loop fasteners, zippers, buttons, snaps, buckles, ties, or bands, the structure of the pad protects the palm and buffers palm contact force, the glove or the sleeve comprise compression material configured to decrease pressure within the carpal tunnel, and the glove is configured to allow thumb and finger movement.
 17. A kit comprising the protective garment of claim 1 and a plurality of pads comprising different materials.
 18. A method of wearing a protective garment comprising the steps of: providing a post-hand-or-wrist-surgery region; inserting the region into a glove having a pad pocket; adjusting a flap on the glove to fit the region; and supplying a pad; positioning the pad in the pocket over the region.
 19. The method of claim 18 wherein the pad-supplying step comprises supplying the pad at ambient temperature. 